Is that what most pot smokers say? Not that you do....but I know guys who smoke pot like it's a religion and they get no-where fast......forward.....25 years and they still have nothing to show and these dudes make some geeks look stupid!

About 1/3 of the way to the marina. Rode my folder instead of the road bike because it stows easily on the boat. A little slow over these distances, but hey, it's Sunday afternoon. The bike route runs along the cliffs to the left of the river. Up and over those ridges makes good intervals!

Of course, some of them, you go through the middle.

About 2/3 of the way there, looking back toward home.

Das boot

Couldn't resist taking her out. But 10 knots at the dock turned into 24 knots on the river. With all the sunday traffic, I didn't trust the auto tiller to steer while I handled the sails. Didn't stay out too long. This pic doesn't show it well, but all the light pixels are kites from the hordes of kite boarders at Hood River.

Another (smaller) kiting beach on the way home. At least the specks are slightly bigger in this shot.

Man, I am pooped. Perhaps I wore myself out trying to spin too small a gear on the long climb home. I think it's time for that nap now!

theantijock saidWhat a beautiful part of the country that. Nice. And the boat's all ship shape. Oh look, the lines match the canvas. And the folding bike matches the hull. What's the boat's name, the Mist Thang?

Thanks. It is Arcturus. The inflatable kayak/tender also matches the hull.

The interesting thing about that ride is that in a relatively short distance it spans several biomes on the east slopes of the Cascades. Most of these pics show white oak/ponderosa pine savannah. At the west end of the ride, it turns into Douglas fir forest, as one enters the Cascade proper. Over the ridge on the east , there is nothing but sagebrush steppe until you get to the Rocky Mountains.

theantijock saidWhat a beautiful part of the country that. Nice. And the boat's all ship shape. Oh look, the lines match the canvas. And the folding bike matches the hull. What's the boat's name, the Mist Thang?

Thanks. It is Arcturus. The inflatable kayak/tender also matches the hull.

The interesting thing about that ride is that in a relatively short distance it spans several biomes on the east slopes of the Cascades. Most of these pics show white oak/ponderosa pine savannah. At the west end of the ride, it turns into Douglas fir forest, as one enters the Cascade proper. Over the ridge on the east , there is nothing but sagebrush steppe until you get to the Rocky Mountains.

That's a good name. I like it. I'm not surprised to learn the t/t is color coordinated. Looks like you've done a beautiful job with that labor of love.

One of the things I forget that I loved about the Caribbean when I lived there was seeing mountains--not huge, but still, dropping into the sea. And I always love when I'm in the Blue Ridge and I come across a lake up there. Water and mountains, there's just something to that. It's the one dimension Florida's missing. Up. At least we have sky and some wonderful cloud formations. And I wouldn't want to be you in winter but otherwise yer very lucky to live there. Good for you. The scenery you describe sounds stunning.

Looking at those pics. I see you identify one as the Hood which I wasn't familiar with. I've heard of the Columbia R of course. So I'm looking at a map now at the difference in sizes of those rivers. If that's the Hood pics on your boat and with the kites, that alone looks like a lot of water to me. The Columbia must be gigantic. The very top pic with your bike alone, is that the Columbia?

theantijock saidLooking at those pics. I see you identify one as the Hood which I wasn't familiar with. I've heard of the Columbia R of course. So I'm looking at a map now at the difference in sizes of those rivers. If that's the Hood pics on your boat and with the kites, that alone looks like a lot of water to me. The Columbia must be gigantic. The very top pic with your bike alone, is that the Columbia?

Did some body say "winter?" STFU!

Sorry, those pics are all of the Columbia. "Hood River" is the name of the town there where the marina is. It's a kite board and windsurf mecca. It is quite imaginatively named because it is at the mouth of the Hood River, which is a relatively small stream, right next to the marina. Its source is the glaciers on Mt. Hood (catching a theme here?) and it runs through the apple and pear orchards of the Hood River Valley, down to the Columbia. Where it deposits a ginormous sandbar that is just perfect for launching big kites. But a real PITA to steer around if you have a keel boat.

And yes, you can ski all year here. Though only the highest lift is open in the summer and it basically goes up to a groomed glacier. You can ski in the morning (before it gets too slushy) surf in the afternoon (when the wind comes up.) So there's more choices.

This is what I was trying to snap with the phone. Not the right camera for the job. It's crazy like this every weekend in the summer.

About 1/3 of the way to the marina. Rode my folder instead of the road bike because it stows easily on the boat. A little slow over these distances, but hey, it's Sunday afternoon. The bike route runs along the cliffs to the left of the river. Up and over those ridges makes good intervals!

Of course, some of them, you go through the middle.

About 2/3 of the way there, looking back toward home.

Das boot

Couldn't resist taking her out. But 10 knots at the dock turned into 24 knots on the river. With all the sunday traffic, I didn't trust the auto tiller to steer while I handled the sails. Didn't stay out too long. This pic doesn't show it well, but all the light pixels are kites from the hordes of kite boarders at Hood River.

Another (smaller) kiting beach on the way home. At least the specks are slightly bigger in this shot.

Man, I am pooped. Perhaps I wore myself out trying to spin too small a gear on the long climb home. I think it's time for that nap now!

Looks amazing and thanks for the mini voyage. Being tired is good you burned some body fat. Things look dry for your area......still in a drought?